Many of recent electronic apparatus such as personal computers and portable terminals as typified by smartphones are equipped with a touch panel which is placed on the display screen as a device for input manipulation. General input devices using a touch panel detect an input manipulation according to two kinds of states, that is, contact and non-contact, of a user finger to the touch panel surface.
On the other hand, portable terminals such as smartphones have various kinds of functions. And it is desirable that one of the various kinds of functions be able to be selected by a user input manipulation and performed. However, in general input devices, a user manipulation is recognized by only occurrence/non-occurrence of a touch to the touch panel. Therefore, to select a desired one of various kinds of functions and have it performed, the user is required to make many touch manipulations. That is, no input devices are available that are high in operability to users.
In apparatus using an input device other than a touch panel, a technique is known in which a manipulation in three axial directions, that is, the X-axis and Y-axis directions (parallel with the input manipulation surface) and the Z-axis direction (perpendicular to the input manipulation surface) is detected and reflected in display.
For example, Patent document 1 proposes that a manipulation relating to selection through a 3D menu is made using a control stick capable of detecting an input manipulation in three axial directions, that is, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions.
Patent document 2 proposes detection of a movement of an apparatus main body in three axial directions using a 3-axis acceleration sensor. Also, Patent document 2 discloses varying the display side of information on the screen in accordance with a movement in the Z-axis direction.